multitasking

With larger devices like the LG G Flex, multi-window utility is an option many take advantage of. By splitting the screen in two (figuratively, we’re not cutting things in half, here), we can get a snippet of multiple things without having to navigate between apps. Fun and functional, some are still in the dark about how this all works, and why it’s one of the coolest features on the G Flex.

Ever since its incarnation, one of Android's crowning achievements is its ability to multitask or have multiple apps truly running at the same time. While Android does have a built-in way to switch between those apps, OmniROM believes it can do even better and has thus started work on OmniSwitch.

Just when you thought you had your fill of multitasking utilities for the day, XDA hits you again with another power tool. This time, the new APPoint (yes, that's how it's spelled) multitasking app doesn't exactly let you switch between open apps. It does, however, help you launch your favorite apps from any screen, without having to go back to the homescreen.

If the “recent tabs” button for your Android device isn't’t getting the job done for you, a new app named Switchr may be just what you need. Switchr takes the task switching functionality and moves it away from a static button and places it on the sides of the screen.

As Android devices get more powerful and more ubiquitous, people start to take and do things that were probably not envisioned by those who created the operating system. One such example is this powerful multi-window feature for Android developed by mobile solutions company Ixonos.

After initially leaking and then being removed, today Google pulled the trigger on their new note-taking app Google Keep. Just like many of their current services like Google Now, Google Keep aims to be a deeply integrated and do-it-all app for all your note-taking and daily tasks. With integration into your account and Google Drive (get started here) Google Keep looks to take on Evernote, Any.DO and more.

Yup, that's actually the real name for Microsoft's latest Android application. It's called on{X} and is basically what Motorola calls smart actions, or what Android enthusiasts know as Tasker. This app will help you set rules or actions that are then activated based on location, date, or time. Why Microsoft has released an Android only app is still puzzling me, but lets take a look.

While we at Android Community are understandably loyal to the little green guy, that doesn't mean we don't take notice of the competition. And it must be said, some of the phones coming out running Windows Phone 7 (especially those made by Nokia) are real head-turners. While a full WP7 port or popular Android devices is unlikely, various modders have ported elements of the MetroUI to Android. The latest is XDA member "evilisto" (never change, guys) who's added WP7-style multitasking to stock Ice Cream Sandwich.

Android's always been pretty handy with multitasking, but if CyanogenMod is your custom ROM of choice, it may soon be getting even better. The CyanogenMod team stated on a Google+ post that they're investigating the possibility of including Onskreen's Cornerstone software in their final CM9 build, based on Ice Cream Sandwich. The sudden addition is due to Cornerstone's recent move to the world of open source, allowing modders like the CM team to include it in their ROMs for free. "We will probably include this into CM9. it needs some polish, but the concept is just great," said an official update.

Tablets are big. Smartphone apps are small. This would seem to present an obvious answer to the many, many Android apps that scale up to massive resolutions instead of adjusting their total user interface Ice Cream Sandwich-style. But no, apps form unconcerned or merely oblivious developers continue to scale up, as if someone ran over an Android smartphone with a steamroller. Enter Cornerstone, a method for managing windows of apps on Android, jut like on Linux, OS X and, uh, Windows.